Reflections
by FullmetalShortStack
Summary: Naminé has everything; colleges lining up by her door, popularity in her hand, and best friends who get her. There's one thing she doesn't have, however; a boyfriend. But she doesn't want one, you see. Because her reflection is male, and she loves him. -Adopted from XShiori-chanx-
1. Prologue

_Hello everyone! This is a story that I have adopted from XShiori-chanx, whom the prologue and first three chapters are written by. I loved this story so much that I just didn't want to see it go unfinished here on fanfiction. So when I found out I was up for adoption I decided I'd give it ago! I'm sure our writing styles are a bit different but eventually you'll get used to it! I didn't want to post this until I got the next chapter finished but then I decided I should probably go ahead and post it. I've been really busy with school and other functions lately so I went ahead and decided to post this. Let's hope I don't completely ruin this story. xD  
_

_Thanks! _

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Kingdom Hearts! BOO. **  
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_****-Ash_

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_Prologue _

_The moonlight filtered in softly through the window, the only light illuminating a young girl with a white sheet over her head. her button up Tweety Pj's shuffled as she walked away from her bed, dragging a pillow behind her. she set her determined ice blue eyes on a tall mirror in the corner; hidden in a patch of shadows, a menacing figure standing cocky and proud. The young girl, no older than five, was not afraid, her bare feet sliding quietly on the white carpet of her luxurious room._

_"Can't sleep?" A voice echoed in the room, strong and comforting, the voice of a boy. The mirror began to ripple like water; light blue lights sliding across the surface, and a figure began to form as the girl approached. Once the girl was standing before the beastly piece of furniture, the boy appeared; a sheet over his head, a pillow in his hands, the exact mirror image of the girl, except with a shirt and shorts on. His ocean blue eyes glowed like the ripples, warm and mischievous. The girl smiled, putting her hand to the glass._

_"Nope." She answered lightly, watching the boy sit down. Her hand remained pressed firmly to the glass, and she yearned to reach him, to pat his spiky hair to see if it could be tamed. But the boy didn't reach out; he just sat down and watched the girl._

_"Want me to sing?" the boy asked softly, a smile playing at his lips. The girl nodded, setting the pillow down and leaning onto it, pulling the sheet up to her chin. the boy grinned, finally resting his hand up to hers, both feeling the cold unloving glass barrier in between them as he opened his mouth and began to hum a sweet, soft lullaby._


	2. The Boy in the Mirror

Sighing on the bus ride to school, Naminé Tamazaki pulled a stray lock of golden blonde hair out of her face. The sun was high in the sky, the blistering heat already tearing through the trees and searing the skin on her cheeks as she gazed out of the foggy window, watching the scenery pass her by. The teenage girls that sat around her on every other seat available chirped and chattered about the latest gossip, television show, or celebrity crush while she pushed a migraine away, not wanting to join any conversation about nonsense that was created for money. She slowly turned her gaze to the transparent reflection that was barely visible against the trees that flew by outside; the soft ice blue eyes, the silky golden blonde hair pulled over one shoulder, and the hideous blue checkered uniform that was much to big for her small curves. She brought a hand to the window, willing for her refection to truly show; but no, not in public, not where everyone could see them.

The bus came to a slow stop, the creaky doors pulling aside as a bubbly red head bounded up the stairs. She searched down the aisle for an available space, grinning as she sat herself down next to Naminé. The blonde swiveled in her seat, removing her hand, smiling.

"Good morning, Kai." she greeted her cousin sweetly, her honey covered voice tinkling with sincerity towards one of her only friends.

"Mornin', Nami!" Kairi Hara said cheerfully, rolling the short sleeves of her uniform high up her shoulders. Her violet eyes were warm and welcoming, her russet locks slicked back into a ponytail. She reached into her small carry on bag and pulled out some small notes. "Siax is pop quizzing us today. Axel told me so."

Naminé nodded, returning her gaze to the lush island palm trees flying by out the window. She blocked out all of the mindless chatter and the shuffling of paper as the bus rolled on.

Finally, after about another ten minutes, all of the girls began loading off, shoving each other away and pushing through the crowds to exit the bus first. Naminé and Kairi sat back and watched; it was said that if you got off of the bus first, you have high social status. Since the red head and the blonde could care less, they took their time.

They walked silently up the grand stairs into the Destiny Islands Art Academy for Girls, marching over to their beige lockers. The two girls collect their belongings and waved good-bye, separating to get to class.

Naminé was an art major. She could paint intricate designs, weave pictures through her sketchbook, and turn oil pastel doodles into a colorful fields of flowers. She handled a paintbrush with the skills of a master; and she was considered one, already being offered college scholarships and offers to feature her work in art exhibits. Personally, she hated the attention she received from her schoolmates the most; because she was considered one of the best, she was treated like one of the best.

Unlike normal High schools, where cheerleaders and football players made up most of the populars, DIAAGs popular list only accepted the exceptionally gifted. The top students in music, art, and theatre mainly; basically, Naminé, Kairi, Olette, Selphie, Xion, and Aqua. No one had to be jealous of boyfriends either- it was an all girls school, after all-but looks also contributed to the factor of acceptance. Naminé was always compared to the looks of a Barbie doll; silky blonde hair, deep azure eyes. The curves of a swimsuit model, just the right size at 4'11. Unlike the other girls, however, she didn't carry a compact mirror in her back pocket to reapply makeup.

She sighed, waving to people as she passed through the hallways. She climbed up to the second story, turned right, and entered her first class, always her favorite, art. The teacher greeted her warmly, offering her kind smile.

"Good morning, Mrs. Gainsborough," Naminé bowed, showing her respect and admiration. Mrs. Gainsborough gave a curt nod and gestured to Naminé's front row seat.

"Good morning, Naminé. I'll expect a perfect recreation of The Scream." the beautiful brunette winked, and Naminé grinned.

Aerith Gainsborough was a powerful figure in the world of art, respected by all within DIAAG. Her name was printed angelically on masterpieces around the world, most of which rested casually in the halls of the school, and the paintings she produced were enough to stun a room filled with critics into silence. Her casual clothing consisted of a pink skirt layered over white, with a matching pink and white blouse. She always wore her long brunette hair in a braid that traveled to the center of her back, and her emerald eyes were always filled with compassion.

"Class, please find your seats," she bellowed into the room, as the last of the students scurried to their assigned chairs. Naminé retrieved her sketchbook from her bag, setting it lightly on her desk and fiddling with the spiral coil. Mrs. Gainsborough called roll, receiving pleasant 'here's from all of the girls before asking the class to pass their homework up to the front row. Naminé, being Naminé, set her work on the very bottom, following one of her favorite well known sayings, 'save the best for last.'

As she flipped through the pile, Mrs. Gainsborough gave a warm smile. "Very good, Yuna…oh, wonderful piece, Alice…You're all very talented artists, class," she praised, earning girlish giggles from the room. "Now please, open your books to page two-fifty."

The girls rushed to flip through the pages, the scrap of paper echoing. Naminé grinned; they would be studying the concept of nature in the next lesson, something she had already mastered as a child. She sat back, folding her hands neatly in her lap, listening to Aerith's tender voice as she read out loud to the class.

"What are you going to do for the homework assignment?" a petite raven haired girl asked, fumbling with the combination to her locker. Naminé sighed, wheeling the dial around until it clicked. She was always in charge of remembering her friend's locker combinations. "Thanks."

"I thought maybe I'd draw that nest of blue jays that live by my window," Namine answered thoughtfully, clutching a math book. Xion nodded, liking the idea, before slamming her locker closed.

Xion Kiryu was Naminé's art partner and best friend. She was complex, a respectable painter with a few college scholarships, although she wasn't considered an artistic genius like Naminé. The two had known each other since the sixth grade, and had instantly clicked; both were shy, both were artsy, both had personal problems. From far away, you'd think the two were polar opposites, however; Xion's midnight back hair was cropped short in contrast to Naminé's shoulder length blonde locks, and she always wore black in opposition to Naminé's white. Like Yin and Yang.

The duo pushed their way through the crowds, catching their enthusiastic red headed friend somewhere in between, on their way to Math. The now trio of friends sat down in their aisle seats and waited for their teacher to enter to begin the lesson.

Math was never Naminé's favorite class. She never understood the need to use math in the real world except for maybe in construction, but it wasn't like she was going to be a construction worker any time soon. Her teacher always told her that math was like art, but she couldn't tell the resemblance. Compared to Art, Math was just pure torture at its finest. Although, she did understand some of the problems written on the white board; some, not all, but it was better than nothing.

After an agonizing hour in Math, she headed for Chemistry, bidding her friends farewell. In this class, she was always bored out of her wits. The Chemistry lab, occupied by Mr. Vexen, was filled to the brim with flasks, beakers, thermometers, and various chemicals that created a foul stench in the air. Mr. Vexen obviously didn't mind, but for first year students, the smell is overwhelming; in her first class back in freshman year, someone had actually passed out.

"Take your seats, girls, I don't have all day," Mr. Vexen snapped, his voice high pitched and nasally as he pulled his long blonde hair into a ponytail. Many girls grumbled under their breath as they sulked into the odor of science.

For the past month since school started, Naminé had been trying to identify the cause of the sickly air she breathed. The cabinets containing each of the chemicals were sealed shut and bolted down with heavy locks. The Bunsen burners on every table were usually turned off, and the smell couldn't be gasoline. She even wondered once if it was Mr. Vexen himself causing the smell; but after catching him in the aisles of Bath and Body Works, she doubted it.

Mr. Vexen droned on about the periodic table, something Naminé had memorized in full detail in the fifth grade. She rested her chin on her palm, gazing silently out the window until the bell rang. She was anxious to return home, like always, to stare into the mirror.

At lunch, she crept over to a circular table in the center of the large cafeteria, bringing her sack lunch onto the table with a silent crumple of paper. Her friends greeted her warmly, making her smile.

Naminé and Xion were the art divas; Kairi and Selphie, drama. To make the last of the small group, Aqua and Olette, the musicians.

Naminé placed herself between Kairi and Aqua, grinning as they made small talk with each other. Aqua Egami was a sweet girl that was one year older than Naminé. She was considered an expert in the string instrument department, but her true talent lied within the cello, having won various contests and performing in orchestras. Her light blue hair was abnormal, but she prefers to stand out. Sitting next to Kairi were Olette and Selphie Tilmitt, twins from Twilight Town. Polar opposites, Selphie was an over-the-top romantic while Olette was a quiet hard worker. Selphie's domain lied within Drama, where she frequently battled Kairi for leading roles. Olette preferred the safety of her flute.

"Hey Kairi, my cousin's coming back over to visit," Xion said casually, smirking at her red-headed companion. Kairi blushed; they all knew she had a small crush on him since second grade.

"H-he is?" she asked her voice jumping another octave. Xion and Naminé snickered.

"Come on, Kairi! Sora's been coming over on like, every holiday, and he stays during summer vacation! Why haven't you asked him out?" Selphie whined, completely oblivious to Kairi's flustered reaction.

"Selphie, that goes against the girl code! The guy has to ask the girl out, unless it's the Sadie Hawkins Dance or something," Kairi said in a rush, trying to rid herself of her blush. Aqua giggled lightly.

"Girl code or not, you like him, and he likes you. One of you just needs to make a move," she commented, earning a dejected sigh.

"How's your love life with Terra?" Naminé asked. Aqua laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Terra's fine. He took me to the movies last weekend," she answered. Namine smiled, happy for her friend.

"Psh, that's nothing. Riku took me out on a moonlit picnic on the island. It was the epitome of romance," Xion said playfully, sticking her tongue out at Aqua, who returned the gesture.

"Speaking of dates, you know Hayner finally asked Lette out?" Selphie chirped, and Olette blushed a deep crimson. All three girls awed at her, throwing questions at her like bombs, cooing at the cuteness of the couple. Hayner and Olette had liked each other almost as long as Kairi and Sora; this was a big jump in Naminé's book.

"Oh, Lettie, I'm so proud of you!" Kairi cooed, putting a perfectly manicured hand over her heart. Olette blushed a deeper crimson, waving everyone off.

"Guys, stop it! You're embarrassing me," she mumbled, smiling as the group laughed. A comfortable silence enveloped them as they ate, stuffing small portions of food into their mouths.

"What about you, Naminé? Got your sights set on anyone?" Kairi chirped. Naminé looked up and shrugged; she didn't have her sights set on anyone but herself, so to speak.

"Nope," she replied, popping the 'p'. Xion and Aqua exchanged a look.

Naminé, you've never had a boyfriend before, and we've been asking you since fifth grade. You're seventeen now, and you've only had one crush in your whole life!" Xion said, exasperated. Selphie and Kairi nodded their heads.

"Seriously guys, I don't have a crush on anyone! Besides, the only guys I ever really see are Terra, Riku, Tidus, Sora, Hayner, and Seifer. And Seifer is a no go, for sure," she answered.

What happened to that Roxas kid you told us about in third grade?" Selphie asked, squinting.

Naminé hesitated, biting her lip. It is true that she had told her friends a tidbit of her secret once before, but she honestly couldn't give it away. The boy in the mirror - the boy she had a crush on - was never to be mentioned, a pact between the two. She composed her expression, allowing a small blush to enter her cheeks for effect, and looked at her food.

"H-he moved to Twilight Town." the stutter in the beginning was perfect, adding to the effect she wanted. Her reflection would have been proud.

No! why did the one boy you like move away?" Selphie cried dramatically, slumping forward on the table and play-sobbing. Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Find him on Facebook or something!" she threw in casually, throwing the last of her lunch away. Naminé shook her head sadly.

"He doesn't have one," she answered truthfully, then gave it some thought. "And neither to I, for that matter."

"Which brings us to another problem of yours. You know, you could meet a whole bunch of nice, smoking hot guys if you actually tried to have a social life outside of us," Selphie chirped, returning from her fake tears and cries.

"Selph, talking to strangers online isn't really the safest idea," Aqua chided, folding her napkin neatly and dabbing her lip gloss. Selphie pouted.

"I'm with Aqua there," Olette and Xion said simultaneously, before grinning. "But she could still talk to our friends, maybe hook her up with Terra's younger brother or something."

Naminé shook her head furiously, a real blush creeping into her cheeks. "N-no! guys, don't set me on a blind date!" she whined, flustered. "Really, I'm too busy to have a boyfriend."

"Uh-huh. Sure," Kairi sniped, drawing out the 'u'. "Nami, RGUA already has its sights set on you, and you don't have an exhibit till August."

"Can a girl not be seventeen and single?" Naminé mumbled, finding no suitable comeback. Her friends chuckled, deciding now was a good time to back away from the boyfriend subject. Naminé was grateful. Her friends always had her back; there was no chance of them betraying her, and they could read her like a book. When she was uncomfortable with a subject, they would immediately back off.

"Anyway, have you seen Selphie's new flat screen? It's the biggest thing I've ever seen in my life." Kairi said abruptly, slamming her hands down on the table and sending disbelieving looks around the table. Selphie and Olette smirked at each other while Aqua, Xion, and Naminé giggled.

And so lunch went.

Classes went by in a jumble of boring words, but once school was over, Naminé hurried onto the bus, a winded Kairi following close by. She deliberately pushed girls out of her way as she passed, enthusiastic to return home; earning grumbled profanities and other disturbing words. What could she say? Naminé was always excited to return home and share her day - no matter how boring it was - to the eager ears of her reflection. He was always sitting patiently behind the glass waiting for her anyway.

"Sheesh, Nami! Why do you always rush?" Kairi panted after finally reaching the blonde, who sat impatiently in the very front row. Naminé grinned, bubbling up inside.

"Because!" she declared positively. Kairi shook her head, chuckling.

"You're something else," she mumbled under her breath, waving Selphie and Olette - who took a leisurely pace - into the seat across from them. Aqua and Xion were always driven home by their parents.

Naminé only smiled and faced the window, glancing at the flimsy image of herself reflected back at her. She grinned, seeing the smallest and lightest of bright blue ripples - like water - and then the equally bright blue eyes staring back at her, the blonde spikes falling into them. One eye winked; and then she was staring back at boring old Naminé again.

"Hey, Naminé, we need to hang out sometime," Selphie quipped from across the way, bouncing slightly in her seat as the bus ran over bumps in the road. Naminé smiled for show, but she groaned internally.

"I would love to, Selphie! Girls night out on the main island say…Friday?" she prompted, crossing her fingers in hopes for cancellations. She was disappointed to see her friend bob her head up and down enthusiastically.

"So Olette, Aqua, and I will meet you, Kairi, and Xion at the front doors maybe, four-ish?" Selphie asked, receiving a nod from Kairi. "Great! I'm excited."

"You're always excited to shop," Olette sniped, and the group laughed as Selphie's face twisted into an overdramatic show of embarrassment.

"I am not!" she tried defending, earning giggles from Kairi and Olette. Naminé smiled, but said nothing for the remainder of the bus ride.

Whenever Naminé jumped off of the last step sitting behind those sliding glass doors on the bus, she literally sprinted to reach her home, which was a block away. She waved Kairi, Olette, and Selphie farewell from the windows as they passed.

The blonde ran along lawns and beach sand, dodging Mrs. Ito's pit bull, until she stood panting at her doorstep, trying to catch her breath. Huffing loudly, she pushed the door open and hastily slipped off her shoes.

"Dad, I'm home!" she called before running up stairs. Her father took a quick peek around the corner as she whizzed past, chuckled to himself, and returned to cooking. She bolted up the steps, taking two at a time, and finally burst through the door to her room.

He was waiting, sitting on her bed on the other side of the mirror, smiling softly. Naminé released a smile of her own; he was always waiting for her, forever patient.

"Hey," she called breathlessly, approaching the mirror. The boy mimicked her.

"Hey yourself," he greeted, placing a hand up to the mirror.

Naminé pressed her fingers to the glass, feeling the cold barrier beneath her fingertips and willing it to vanish.

"How was your day?" he asked playfully, ignoring the empty feeling he received whenever he touched the glass. Naminé shrugged.

"Same old. We were talking about you today in lunch," she said.

"Really? What were you saying?" he asked, genuinely curious. Naminé smiled.

Roxas sat behind the mirror every day and he always listened to her rant until she was out of breath. He always questioned her about her life, but when she asked about him, he always swerved off topic. Naminé never asked why; she didn't want him to leave her because she had said something that offended him.

"We were talking about my lack of a love life, so I used you to get them to stop pestering me about it. Is that ok?" she asked, looking a little skeptic. To her relief, Roxas let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"I don't mind at all, Nami," he grinned. "I'm glad you used me!"

Naminé blushed a deep shade of crimson, and pressed her forehead against the glass. Roxas mimicked her, his hair flipping up as it made contact with the mirror. Ripples of blue floated away from his touch.

"I wish I could see you…like, really see you," she murmured, her hand curling into a fist on the glass, is if attempting to clutch a handful of his shirt. His eyes, so like her own in its icy blue storm, dimmed.

"I do too. I wish I could touch you, hold you, kiss you… but I'm only a reflection," he sighed sadly. Naminé blushed again; he often declared his love shamelessly, which was perfectly fine, if it didn't embarrass her so much.

"I…I love you, Roxas," she whispered.

"I love you too, my precious counterpart," he whispered back. Naminé pulled away and curled her arms under her knees. She shook her head in determination, and stared with a gaze like fire into Roxas's eyes.

"We can't be like this, it's too depressing!" she declared, cracking a soft smile. "So Roku, tell me about your day."


	3. Reality

Naminé first met Roxas when she was three years old. Around that time, little Naminé was positive that seeing a boy in her reflection was perfectly normal; the fact that the boy talked to her was even better, since she didn't have a brother or sister. Her mother and father were a bit baffled when Naminé told them; but when she tried to show Roxas to them, he didn't appear, so they set it off as an imaginary friend. From then on, Roxas and Naminé promised each other that they would never mention the other, because of the embarrassment that came from harassing parents.

Naminé often wondered what life would have been like if she never discovered the reflection of a boy hiding behind her desk. Would she still be an art major? Would she have a boyfriend? Would she be popular, with friends like Kairi, Aqua, Xion, Selphie, and Olette? What kind of person would she be? Shaking her head, she popped the last bite of pancake into her mouth and shouldered her handbag.

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!" she called over her shoulder at the door, pulling her shoes over her heels. She just managed to close the door when the bus pulled up at her driveway. Grinning, she hopped on and took an empty seat somewhere in the middle.

On the next stop, Kairi came aboard.

"Morning," she greeted cheerfully, taking her usual spot by Naminé's side.

"Morning, Kai," she greeted in return. Kairi smiled and pulled a small envelope out of her bag, poking Naminé's shoulder with it. She rolled her eyes, taking it from her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"I can't believe he still thinks about me, but Sora mailed that to me this morning," Kairi chirped in excitement. Naminé resisted the urge to sigh in exasperation and roll her eyes at Kairi's obvious joy. Sora mailed her once a week, every week; and Kairi mailed right back.

"Yes, Kairi. Why would he stop thinking about you?" she asked nicely. Kairi frowned.

"He would stop thinking about silly old me if he has a new girlfriend," she mumbled, going into her 'thinking pose'. Naminé couldn't resist this time; her eyes met the ceiling and she punched her cousin's shoulder playfully.

"Sora wouldn't get a new girlfriend, Kairi. He'd write to you about how wonderful she is. And by the happiness your radiating, there's nothing about a girlfriend in here," she chided, flicking the letter in her fingers. Kairi snatched it and stuck her tongue out, pouting.

"What if she's a secret girlfriend?" she asked in all seriousness. Naminé sighed and shook her head.

"Kairi, you're being silly." she flicked her hair behind her shoulder as the bus came to a stop.

"It's possible," Kairi mumbled, stuffing the letter back into her bag. They exited in silence, but Kairi was still deep in thought when they reached their lockers. Rolling her eyes again, Naminé departed alone to art.

Her painting had to be one of her best works yet. She was up half the night just to finish it; she wanted to capture the best glow of twilight in the back ground. The blue jay nest nestled in the center of the piece held three of the beautiful blue birds; a mother chirping softly to her children. The twigs of their small home were bent and twisted, weaving a delicate basket of warmth held up by a branch that split in two. There was only a small number of leaves surrounding the nest, and the remainder of the piece was painted a light blue, purple, and grey.

Mrs. Gainsborough was so proud of her. She displayed the work before the entire class and framed the picture on the wall behind her desk. She promised the young artist that the piece would be admitted into her next gallery; news that delighted Naminé to the fullest extent. Her mood was further lifted when Xion's artwork - a pastel piece of a dog sleeping under the stars - was admitted into the gallery as well. She had a feeling today was going to be a very good day.

"I love this day, October nineteenth, and it is now the best day ever," Xion voiced when class was over. Naminé giggled, agreeing.

"I know! Our pieces, in Aerith's gallery! This is so great," she sighed, twirling in joy. They unloaded their books at their lockers, where Kairi was waiting, her face drained of color.

"Guys, I hate today," she groaned immediately, waiting patiently as Xion and Naminé fished their math books out.

"Why?" Xion asked first, a smirk playing at her lips. She exchanged a playful look with Naminé.

"Don't get me started, I'll talk your ears off again," Kairi warned. Naminé shrugged; she was going to tune out halfway through her explanation anyway. Xion motioned for her to continue.

"Ok. So first, in gym, we started doing this retarded step aerobics thing and honestly, it wasn't that bad, but when you have Selphie standing next to you singing along to Katy Perry, it's agony. After that wonderful session of karaoke, in Chem., this stupid girl behind me decided to throw eraser shavings in my hair because she was bored, and when I turned around to ask her to stop, the teacher got mad at me! So I couldn't do anything, and the girl kept throwing those stupid little shavings at me! So I went to the bathroom, and after finally getting everything out…" Kairi blabbed, a continuous stream of words that continued to flow out of her mouth even though the trio had entered class and the teacher had called for order. As the teacher shushed her once, she simply lowered her voice and continued to go on with her speech.

Naminé had stopped listening a long time ago; Kairi's sweet voice was just background music to her, and her thoughts were once again flying through the clouds. Technically, flying towards the nearby city of Twilight Town.

Words Roxas once said to her; If anyone asks, I live in Twilight Town. She had given it plenty of thought before, but she could never really place answers with some questions in her mind; How did Roxas know what Twilight Town was? Why would he choose Twilight Town, a quiet, boring city without much to enjoy, to be his imaginary home? Naminé asked him once, but Roxas merely shook his head with a smile and changed the subject. But she figured she needed the information now or never, since her friends were setting her up on a blind date…

She was startled back to earth when the bell rang, signaling the start of the next class. She quickly waved goodbye to Xion and Kairi, and proceeded to Chemistry with no intention of paying attention. As she stepped into the room, she was struck with the disturbing stench of Science; huffing, she bowed hello to Mr. Vexen and hobbled off to her seat.

On hour later, and she was reunited with her friends.

"But seriously, why do you have so sing so loud?" Kairi was whining (again) to Selphie, who smirked deviously and struck a pose.

"Because someday, I'm gonna be a pop star! I'll have this secret Identity like Hannah Montana," she bragged, sticking her tongue out and picking a hole in her milk carton.

"What would your secret name be?" Aqua urged. She shared a look with Xion when Selphie sucked in a breath, thinking.

"I'd be…um…" Selphie mumbled, tongue twisted. With a sigh of defeat, she punched Aqua's shoulder playfully. "I'd be too cool for a secret name, and everyone would call me that one super sexy pop star."

"That one super sexy pop star? Yeah, that'll catch on fast," Naminé joked, earning a pout.

"Take the hint, Selph, and please, just stop singing," Kairi whined, throwing her sandwich crust in the trash. The table laughed, enjoying Selphie's humiliation.

"Oh! You guys know me and Nam's art are gonna be in Aerith's gallery?" Xion chirped excitedly after a moment of comfortable silence. Naminé beamed along with her best friend, feeling pleased. Aqua, Kairi, and Olette grinned broadly while Selphie continued to wallow in her embarrassment.

"That's so awesome! Our little babies are growing up!"

"Aqua, just because were short doesn't mean were babies. We're in the big leagues now, what with our art in the one and only Aerith Gainsborough's gallery," Xion sniped, sticking her tongue out. Aqua rubbed her head, messing up her hair.

"Hey! That reminds me. Terra's coming to my recital on Halloween," she suddenly said, ignoring Xion's protesting curses. A devilish grin spread across Selphie's face.

"Hayner's coming too!" she burst, and Olette blushed deeply, horrified.

"Selphie! Stop doing that!" she whined to her twin, but the latter chuckled.

"Olette, I'm happy for you. From all those stories I've heard of Hayner, I know for a fact that he doesn't like music. Since he's coming to your recital, that must mean he really likes you!" Naminé reassured, causing another blush to spread across Olette's cheeks. The group giggled.

"How do you know that he doesn't like music?" she tested.

"Well one, you used to always come to us on Mondays and practically vent your feelings of deep loathing for him, asking us why he won't listen to your beautiful flute playing. Two, you would complain sometime later that he won't take your music seriously, and that it frustrated you. Three-"

"I get it!" Olette burst, laughing with the rest. Suddenly, Kairi abruptly stopped and shared a look with Selphie. The two began a silent conversation using hand gestures, while the rest watched curiously.

"Naminé, are you ready for Friday?"

Naminé, who was squinting hard at a pair of adults outside fighting over a parking space, (inspiration for her next artwork) snapped back into place and blinked, confused. Kairi was smirking, a sign that said that whatever escaped the red-head's mouth, Naminé wasn't going to like it. With a heavy sigh and a mental prayer to God, she looked at Kairi expectantly.

"What's happening on Friday?"

This question caused Selphie and Kairi to burst out laughing, and they continued to communicate through gurgling noises and hand gestures. Aqua raised an eyebrow while Xion inconspicuously curled her finger around her head. Kairi nodded enthusiastically and pointed to Naminé, and the duo started a new wave of laughter. The blonde was beginning to get irritated.

"Guys, spit it out!" she near shouted, and Selphie finally tried to suppress her giggles.

"Nothing much, Nami," she released another chuckle, "Just our girl's night out, if you remember."

Sirens went off within her mind when she noticed the evil gleam in her eyes. "I remember. Where are we going?"

"To the mall, of course. All of you are coming," Kairi explained, winking at the others. She used her weird hand gestures again, and somehow, they figured it out; whatever it was. now everyone was smirking playfully at Naminé, releasing small giggles here and there.

"Guys, you're seriously scaring me…" she warned, her eyes switching between all of them. Olette shrugged.

"Don't worry, Nami. We won't do anything to hurt you. It's harmless shopping," she reassured, but the smirk on her lips said otherwise. Naminé continued to stare at them curiously, but she didn't press the matter. Lunch passed in silence, but Kairi and Selphie continued to silently communicate with each other.

"I'm seriously scared," Naminé confessed, lying flat on her back in her room with a pillow clenched tightly in her grasp. Roxas was leaning against the mirror with his back facing her, thinking.

"Well, they said it was harmless shopping, right? What if it is?" he asked. Naminé groaned, pulling herself up into a sitting position.

"Yeah, but for the past two weeks they've been pressuring me to go on a blind date."

"I thought they dropped that when you mentioned me," he said thoughtfully, turning his head over his shoulder to catch her eye. Naminé shook her head.

"No, that just made them that much more determined. Aqua said something about seriously going to Twilight Town to look for you, but I stopped that. Ever since then, They've been trying really hard to get me to start dating," she mumbled, hugging the pillow tighter. Roxas chuckled.

"You have some weird friends. Why don't you tell them something like…I don't know, maybe you have had contact with me for the past five years and we're keeping up a long distance relationship?" he suggested, smirking. Naminé stopped squirming and gave it some thought.

"That might work…but how can I prove it?" she asked, intrigued.

"Have your dad write fake love letters? Type up fake love letters? Write an email to yourself?" he joked, laughing. Naminé pouted at him, punching the glass playfully, even though she knew he wouldn't feel it.

"Because that's going to work," she grumbled. He stifled his giggles as she eyed him, but the smirk was still present in his eyes.

"Just write fake letters to yourself. Show your friends tomorrow, but only if they bring it up," he said. Naminé sighed in defeat and went to her desk, retrieving a pen and paper.

"Ok, but I'm warning you, my man-hand-writing is too neat and curly. So you'd better say some feminine things," she mumbled, smirking at him. He rolled his eyes as she sat back down by the mirror, pulling a book out of her bag for support.

"So start with something sappy then. Like, dearly beloved, dot, dot, dot," he started, sitting down next to her on the other side of the glass. She copied his words onto the paper, trying hard to turn her elegant cursive into ugly chicken-scratch writing. She succeeded partially, and just labeled it good enough to pass by her friends. Roxas cocked his head to the side, squinting to try and read the writing. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up as she finished.

"Um…How was your weekend?" he tried, and when Naminé began writing it down, he continued. "Mine was pretty good. Uh…I won the skateboarding championship after all. The trophy is pretty big, and I get to go to the National Championships in Traverse Town next month…" he murmured with ease, as if he'd been telling the story his whole life. Naminé was curious as to how he managed to keep talking; she thought he didn't have a life outside her mirror, because he was her reflection. Then again, there were times when he wasn't in the mirror. What else could he do when she was at school? Maybe there was a world of his own on the other side.

With a full letter written in Naminé's poor handwriting, the duo relaxed again and lounged before the mirror, with Roxas helping Naminé with her homework. Despite his laid back, more lazy appearance, Roxas was actually a very bright, intelligent person; Naminé would never even dream of having a different tutor. After careful calculations, dinner, and a shower, the two were gearing up for bed rest.

"Love you lots, Nami-Nami," he sighed, using his own personal nickname for her. She smiled, pressing her hand against the mirror. Naturally, he brought his up to rest against hers; the closest they could ever come to each other.

"Love you more, Roxie," she shot back, giving him one last long look before he faded away with the bright crystal-like crests.

"If only I could really meet you…"


	4. Reflection

Thursdays at school were always the worst; homework was always piled at its highest, tests were issued the next day, and people would panic under stress and pressure. Namine, Xion, and Kairi were no exceptions; to be the best, you had to actually be the best.

Aqua Egami was never worried about her grades; photographic memory was a very helpful trait in studying. So when her friends walked in on that faithful Thursday morning, scowling with bags under their eyes, she grinned and waved cheerfully, trying to uplift their moods.

"Ok. I have Chem. test, Trig test, and English quiz. You?" Selphie mumbled, barely coherent. She continued to sip her colossal sized coffee while reading her study notes. Naminé shrugged, flipping through the pages of her notebook. "Chem. test, English quiz, speed paint," she answered.

"Chem., Trig, speed paint, and a mile at gym," Xion answered briskly, reading over Naminé's shoulder.

"English, French, flute recital, mile at gym," Olette sighed. Aqua laughed nervously as her friends continued on, sharing notes with each other and crying out in frustration.

"What about you, Aqua?" Kairi asked, while grumbling under her breath the words 'Damn that Chem. test! I forgot to study'. Aqua laughed again to try and lighten the tension, but her friends simply ignored her, waiting to hear her schedule.

"English, Cello recital, French, and Pre-Calc," she stopped to think for a bit, "Oh, and a Government quiz."

Aqua flinched a little when she saw the expression on Naminé's face fall and her skin go paler than it normally was; she figured that the blonde had forgotten to study for that specific test, and was internally beating herself up for it. She tried to help her.

"I can give you notes…" she started, but Naminé had already sprinted down the hall and out of sight, disappearing in the crowd of grumpy teenage girls.

"Where do you think she's going? Her locker is this way," Xion mumbled, staring after her best friend. Aqua shrugged, a little worried.

Naminé wanted to scream. How could she forget about History? She never forgot to study! Was she so preoccupied with that fake letter from Roxas to remember? How could she be so stupid! Without a care as to who she bumped into, she sprinted into the girl's bathroom and locked the door behind her, leaving her alone with three empty stalls and the large ceiling length mirror by the sinks. She pressed her fingers to the glass and closed her eyes, hoping to God that he would come.

"Naminé, what's wrong?"

She sighed in relief upon hearing his voice and opened her eyes to see his, worried and scrunched. He placed his hand up to hers and gave her a look asking for her to explain.

"I forgot my history papers! I don't know anything that's going to be on the test, and I'm going to fail!" she whispered furiously. Roxas let out a breath of air and smiled.

"That's all? I thought something terrible happened. I can help you during the test, History is my best subject. What course?" he asked.

"Government."

"Perfect. Do you still have that compact mirror?"

Naminé reached into her back pocket and pulled out a white rectangle, holding it up for him to see. He nodded his head.

"Just keep that open in a place where I can see the questions, and I'll whisper the answers to you," he said confidently. Naminé frowned.

"But that's cheating. I'll try and answer a few myself, but if I get stumped, I'll press my eraser in the number. How about that?" she asked.

"Sounds good."

Relieved, she stood on the tips of her toes and gently kissed the glass where his cheek was. He blushed even though he didn't feel it, and faded away with the bright blue ripples that flowed from corner to corner of the mirror. Soon, Naminé was looking at herself again. Goodness, she didn't know what she would do with herself if she didn't have Roxas; he knew exactly what to do to help her, and was always there if she needed him. Holding the compact mirror close, she trooped back out into the hallway, sprinted to her locker, and barely managed to make it to her art class on time. Xion gave her an odd look.

"What were you doing?" she asked, eyeing the white case in Naminé's hands. She swiftly placed the object back in her back pocket, bringing her sketchpad out.

"Hyperventilating in the bathroom," she lied. Xion shrugged nonchalantly, understanding. They all went through that stage at some point.

"Good morning, class," Mrs. Gainsborough called cheerfully, entering the room with the usual skip in her step. Naminé straightened up in her seat and folded her hands neatly in front of her.

"Now, I know that everyone is probably worrying about the speed paint tomorrow, but don't fret; it will be quick and painless, and as long as you give me a detailed description of your drawing," she started, and Naminé could hear the relieved sighs escaping from the members at the back of the class. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.


End file.
